R.I.P. Mr. Lee

by Wilson

By Wilson

The crow dies again.  It’s a sad day again for one of the most iconic story lines in the comic book world.  First published by Caliber press, the advertisement for the Crow said “For Some Things…There Is No Forgiveness” being released in February 1989.  It was created by James O’Barr as a way to heal from the death of his girlfriend, hit by a drunk driver.

In the story, a musician Eric and his girlfriend Shelly get murdered on the wrong side of town when their car breaks down and they are attacked by a gang of street thugs.  Eric is shot paralyzing him and thought by Shelly dead as he watched his beloved be beat, raped, and shot in the head. A mystical creature watched too, bringing Eric back to life a year later with increased strength, speed, and dexterity.  His senses are amplified along with his reflexes.  Pain and injury so longer bother him and he is invulnerable.  The crow communicates with Eric, helping to guide and sometimes hassling him as he seeks vengeance for him and Shelly.

Ok, not Romero and Juliet, but even with the killing and the vengeance, it is a tragic love story.  Eric’s feelings for Shelly going through the violence and pain the gang caused her by killing him and then her, won’t let Eric rest.  We don’t know what is in it for the crow but he also not going to let Eric rest until there is retribution.

Since the first publishing, there was been other comic’s, novels, games, music, films and even a T.V. show based on the story.  This, unfortunately, is overshadowed by bad luck. I remember being shocked to hear Brandon Lee, Bruce Lee’s son had been accidentally shot and killed on set. Then a stuntman was killed on set filming the T.V. show.  

The story has been in Hollywood hell since.  People love the story and want to remake it but the creatives can’t meet eye to eye with the financials to make it. Having heard an interview with Momoa, I knew he wanted to do this movie and was excited to be able to do it. When I heard that both Colin Hardy and Jason Momoa recently pulled out I guessed the reason had to be a good one for the leading man and the director to both say Ahola on the same day. At first, I just read about creative differences, and I got more curious finally I found this in more than one place titled Why Colin Hardy Quit. Colin Hardy’s put on this Instagram,

”I knew from the off, that the idea of making a new version of The Crow was never going to be for everyone, because it is a beloved film. And I say that as someone in love with it myself. But I poured everything I had into the last 3.5 years of work, to try & create something which honoured what the Crow stood for; from James O’Barr’s affecting graphic novel, to Alex Proyas’s original movie, with great respect to Brandon Lee and with the desire to make something bold and new, that myself, as an obsessive fan, could be proud of. And with @prideofgypsies Jason Momoa, and my amazing team of artists & film-makers, we came SO close. But sometimes, when you love something so much, you have to make hard decisions. And yesterday, deciding it was time to let go of this dark & emotional dream project, was the hardest decision of all. 
Buildings burn, people die, but real love is forever.

Rubbish.  

There is not one reason why he or Momoa quit.  Creative differences is a reason, a not too specific one but a reason.   Maybe people were trying to make it into a slasher movie forgetting the love story.  Maybe they wanted Momoa to cut off his iconic beard. (In this case, for this movie, I would have been with the no-beard camp. Actually, Momoa was a good pick for post-death crow, but pre-crow he is a little too large for the roll.  Sorry, @prideofgypsies Jason Momoa you are a superhero now not a teen musician and I still wouldn’t mind a barracuda.)   Maybe someone wanted the crow to be a cockatoo.

Oops, off track.  

When I dug a little more, I read creative and financial differences.  That still doesn’t tell my curiosity much, but it is more information that can lead to why the two men felt the need to walk away 5 weeks before they were to start shooting. If the financials wouldn’t allow the creatives do what they need to do the story justice or even just kept flipping the budget around, hell ya, get out. Between the tragedy in the film, on the set and with the Hollywood movers and shakers, The Crow has become the Macbeth of the movie world.

I hope that someday, the movie will be reborn for another generation, but at this point in time it may be best it stays dead.

R.I.P. Mr. Lee.

Art used with permission @2018_Megara14

Find more of Wilson’s art at : DEVIANTART.COM